A/G church looks to second half-century with founding pastor

(November 26, 2000)

During World War II, Raul Garcia learned Hindustani and served as
an interpreter for U.S. forces fighting the Japanese in Burma. He
also planted a church. His church-planting fervor carried over to
his ministry in the United States. Today, Garcia, 77, has shepherded
the congregation of El Sendero de la Cruz (the Path of the Cross)
A/G in San Antonio, Texas, for 50 years as the churchs senior
pastor. It is one of the largest Hispanic churches in the area.

Pastor Raul and
Bertha Garcia at El Senderos first building.

"My wife, Bertha, and I went with our family door to door in
1950 inviting children to vacation Bible school," Garcia says.
"We had about 45 children attend. When we graduated them, we
invited their parents. Those families became El Sendero church."

The churchs first building was a rented house. The landlord
gave permission to knock out walls to make a sanctuary. In 1960, the
congregation bought the building it remained in for the next 38 years.

Garcias son, Roy L. Garcia, his associate pastor, ministers
in English. Associate Pastor David Castro ministers in Spanish. Garcias
daughter, Sandy Sanchez, is the office manager. Daughter Marlene Pedroza
and son Randy Garcia live in Texas and minister in their communities.

The churchs
38-year location.

"The key to growth and unity at El Sendero has been the willingness
of many leaders to open opportunities of ministry to the people of
our congregation and to the community," says Roy Garcia. Among
the churchs outreaches are daily prayer meetings, benevolence
ministries and home Bible fellowships.

Carmen Lira served as the receptionist at El Sendero during the final
years in the second building. She feels blessed to be a part of the
church.

"We have wonderful times of worship and Pastor Garcias
preaching is so anointed," she says. "He is a caring and
loving pastor."

But ministry does not stop with the pastoral staff. Lira has reached
out to hurting people who have called the church.

"Sometimes when the pastor is not available, Ive had the
opportunity to pray with someone for salvation or healing," she
says. She now serves as a bookkeeper at the new church.

"We really saw the hand of God during our move to our current
location in 1998," Raul Garcia says. "We did not even have
our other property on the market, but two churches bought the buildings
for top dollar. We were able to get our current property on the busiest
intersection in San Antonio, and this has contributed greatly to our
growth."

El Sendero has built a 25,000-square-foot church and a 20,000-square-foot
building for its Christian school, Sendero Christian Academy. Plans
are under way for another 20,000-square-foot addition to offer more
classrooms for Sunday school and the academy.

"We have 400 students now and a waiting list," Garcia says.
"The school has been a big part of our evangelism in this community.
The first year we had 71 students get saved."

Neyra Peñaherrera teaches kindergarten at the academy. "We
have devotions with the children each morning and chapel with them
on Wednesday," she says. "This year, about half the students
in my class have already given their hearts to the Lord."

More than 1,000 people attend the English and Spanish services offered
on Sunday morning. More are joining the church regularly, many through
the development of home Bible study groups.

Jorge and Neyra Peñaherrera lead one of the groups. As many
as 45 people have filled their home. Eight people accepted Christ
during a recent three-week period.

The bottom line, Garcia emphasizes, is winning souls. From the students
who come to Christ at the academy to the elderly who are touched by
the churchs ministry to seniors, all ages are being evangelized
by this thriving church as it moves into its second half-century with
its founding pastor.